Smyrna Congregational Chapel and Hall

Smyrna Congregational Chapel and Hall

A gable entry chapel with an adjacent hall linked by a rear vestibule, built in 1844 and rebuilt in 1903. The buildings are listed at Grade II.

The chapel presents a simple Classical front elevation faced with snecked rubble and freestone dressings, with other elevations rendered. The roof is slate with red clay ridge tiles and stone copings; the hall roof has moulded kneelers. The front elevation is symmetrically planned with the entrance in a slightly recessed central bay set under a rounded arch resting on the entablature of the outer bays and breaking through the moulded gable pediment. A stone tablet set within the arch records: "SMYRNA, ADDOLDY YR ANNIBNWYR, ADEILADWYD 1844, AIL-ADEILADWYD 1903" (Smyrna, Independent House of Worship, Built 1844, Re-built 1903). The entrance itself is a round-headed, keystoned arch on Tuscan pilasters, with a stained glass arched fanlight over panelled double doors. Above the entrance is a tripartite window of three round-headed lights with narrow vertical and horizontal margin paned sashes; each arch has a stressed keystone and a bracketed sill band extends across the bay. The flanking bays contain similarly detailed tall windows with sill bands extending to the Tuscan pilasters, set slightly in from the corners. Each outer bay has a plinth continuing down both side elevations. The entrance is raised and reached by a lateral stone staircase with sidewall.

Each side elevation is rendered with four round-headed arched windows having rendered surrounds. The north side has sash windows with vertical and horizontal margin panes; the south elevation is shuttered.

The adjacent hall is contemporary with the chapel and built of the same materials. It is linked to the chapel by a rear vestibule and has a symmetrically planned front elevation with a two-window range and central doorway under a keyed oculus. The doorway and windows are similarly detailed to the chapel's front elevation but smaller in scale, with window sills that are neither bracketed nor continuous.

The main entrance leads into a small tiled vestibule with side doors opening into the chapel. The chapel interior contains three ranks of raking pews with a central divider in the middle rank. At the far end is a raised set fawr (main pew) set up one step with side entrances flanked by plain newels capped with banded globe finials. The front is bowed with framed recessed panels under a dentilled cornice. The pulpit is rectangular with three bays, an advanced central bay, and side entrances raised by three steps with shaped balusters under moulded rails and shaped newels with banded globe finials. The front is panelled with carved floriate inset panels in the central bay, beneath a dentilled cornice. Behind the pulpit is a moulded plaster panel featuring a moulded, keystoned arch on Corinthian pilasters; the capitals are linked by a moulded floriate band with a Renaissance floral motif in the tympanum and three round-headed arched panels below.

The chapel walls are ashlar scored with tongued and grooved panelling to the lower part and a moulded cornice. The ceiling is coved with three recessed plaster panels in the central part, bordered by tongued and grooved edging and linked by moulded floriate plaster panels at the corners. Each central ceiling panel has a floriate wooden ventilation grille at its centre with a moulded floriate surround; moulded dividers extend to meet the tongued and grooved borders, each section edged with acanthus leaf moulding.

The rear vestibule to the chapel's right leads into the vestry and adjacent hall. Both the hall and vestry have ashlar scored walls with tongued and grooved panelling to the lower part, and feature chamfered angles to door panels like the chapel. A modern kitchen has been added to the rear of the hall.